Time-controlled desk-memorandum



J. A. HOWELL.

TIME CONTROLLI-ID DES'KMEMORANDUNI.

APPLICATION FILED DECLIS, 1920.

1,379,342 Patented May 24,1921,

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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J. A. HOWELL. TIM'ECONTROLLED DESKMEMORANDUM.

.APPLICATION man nec. ls. 1920.

,1,379,342. Patented Ma.y2`4,1921..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wor/umd LA. HOWELL. 'Tl-ME CUNY-ROLLE?, DESK MEMORANDUM.

APPLCATIGN FILED DEC. i3, 1920. l 1,379,342. Patented My 24,1921.

'd SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. HOWELL, OF DOVER, OHIO.

TIME-CONTROLLED DESK-MEMORANDUM'.

Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Controlled Desk- Memorandums, of which lthe following is a speciication; l i 1 The present invention consists of a time controlled desk memorandum and is designed especially for use by executives to automatically indicate the different phases of work'to be attended to periodically during the day.

Cordinate objects of the invention are to provide compartments for posting memorandums and the like chronologically; to provide vcompartments for posting memorandums and the like to be attended to hourly during the day; and to provide automatically operated time controlled means to audibly and' visually direct attention, periodically during the day,'to business to be discharged,f as evidenced by the posted memorandums orlthe like.

The above and other objects of `this invention will be in part described and in part understood from the following description of the present preferred embodiment of the invention takenl in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: w

Figure 1, is a front elevational view, partly in section, of a device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2, is a side elevational view of the invention. I

Fig. 3, isa `top plan view thereof.

Fig. 4, is a detail fragmentary sectional view showing themanner of associating the indicator with the guide rod and indicating standard.

. Fig. 5, is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrow, and

Fig. `6, is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4, and looking Vin the vdirection of the arrow.

The device of `this invention embodies a base generally designated 7 whichisformed from `a lsingleV piece of metal and comprises ahorizontal body portion 8, one end of which is bent at right angles to providea supporting flange 9. The opposite end of said bodyis inclined downwardly to provide a supporting shelf 10, 'the free terminal of Speccation of Letters Patent. Patented May 24, 1921, Appiication inea December 13, 1920. serial No. 430,303. i

nated 12, known as day memorandumV compartments. The compartments may be provided with the names of the days of the week as indicated at 13 and shown to advantage in Fig. 1. Moreover, additional compartments, such'as that shown at 14, may be provided for therreception of miscellaneous matter. l.

An hourly memorandum compartment is likewise mounted upon the body8 of the base as indicated at 14. The innerend ofV this series of compartments is contiguous to the Clay memorandum compartments 12. The compartments- 14 are arranged in superposed relation `and are equivalent in number to the number of working hours in the day, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1, the top compartment is equipped with the numeral 8, and thesuccessive compartments numbered in order according to the business hours of the day, which in the presentV instance, terminates at 5. It is of course to be understood that the number of compartments may be increased or decreased as desired.

Arranged on top ofthe compartments'14 is a clock 15, which is preferably detachably secured to said compartments and has mounted on the periphery thereof aguide arm 16, the upper terminal vof which is formed to provide a sleeve-11, which is in alinement with a bell 18 mounted upon the top ofthe clock.` A clapper 19 projects from the clock and is positioned Vbetween the sleeve 17 and bell 18. The said clapper besides contacting with the bell `18 .so as to give an audible signal -is usedv as a power unit to operate a driven shaft 20, which is mounted inthe sleeve 17. The vouter end of said shaft 21 isbifurca'ted and pivotally en-V gaged with one end of a-rocker arm 22thc opposite end of the latter beingcixe'dly engaged with one endrof anindicator sup# porting shaiit23. As shown to advantage in Fig. 3, the rocker arm 22 is providedwith the clapper 19, -will cause the rocker arm 22 to be moved outwardly in the arc of a circle so as to impart a rotary movement to the shaft 23. The shaft is returned to its normal position by a coil spring 24, one end of which is engaged with the rocker 22, and the "opposite Vend engaged with the sleeve 17.

An ear 25 is provided by extending a portion of the body 8 of the base laterally as shown to advantage in Figs. 1 and 3, this ear serving as a support for the lower end of the shaft 23 and the lower end of a guide rod 26. The upper end of the guide rod extends above thecompartments'14 and is mounted in a connecting link 27, the latter embracing the shaft 23 and serving as a bearing Ifor vthe latter.

' Slidably mounted upon the rod 26 is an.

indicator '28, which in this instance, consists of acollar sleeved on thefro'd 26 and having an indicatingv finger 29 radiating therefrom which extends in front of the numerals carried by the compartments 14. Portions of the sleeve are extended laterally diametrically opposite to the indicating iinger 29,'these portions being arranged in superposedrelation and comprising upper and lower .rings 30 and 31, respectively, which embrace the shaft 23. The upper of said rings is provided with an opening 32 as shown to advantage in Figs. 4 and 5, while the 'lower of said rings is Yprovided with a yslot 33, as shown to advantage in Fig. 6. The

lower ringis adapted to rest on any one of alseries of superposed stops or pegs 34 which areformed upon the shaft 23. Upon reference to Fig. f6 of the drawings, it will be noted thatthe stops 34 are normally offset from the'slot 33 in the ring 31, thereby acting'as a support for the latter. However, when the shaft 23 is rotated through action ofthe driven shaft 20, the slotV 33 will be brought into register with `vthe stop upon which'the ring 31 has been resting, thereby permitting the ring to gravitate downwardly.v Since the opening 32 of the ring 30 is relatively large, the stop will likewise be permitted to pass throughsaid opening notwithstanding thefact that the indicator may have varied its positionslightly by the contractile action of the spring 24. The action of the said spring returns the shaft 23 to its normal `position before the indicator passes more than a single one of the stops 34.

The inclined shelf 10 is suiiiciently wide to accommodate a memorandum pad 35 and an index pad 36, the latter being held from displacement bythe resilient clips 37 which are carried by the shelf .as shown in Fig. 3. Moreover,'if desired, the front of the compartments l12 maybe equipped with a cal endar 38, preferably showing 4the. past month. current month and following month.

In using thisdevice it is preferred to follow the system outlined below, although it is in order to illustrate the application of the invention. The preferred use referred to is to use the memorandum pad 35 for making notes or memorandums which will be placed in the compartments 12 according to the day of the week when `:the business, referred to on the note or memorandum, is to be transacted. Each morning the executiveor his secretary will removethe contents of the compartment for'the current day and will, divide `said'contents according to the dif-2` ferent hours of thel day,` at whichy the business is to be attended to.V After being so separated the notes', memorandums, or the like, varey posted in the hourly com partments 14, pursuant to which the indicator 28 is set so that Vthe finger 29 thereof will point to they first hour ofthe day, which. in the `instant case`,.is vsho-wn to be eight oclock. The clock 15 will be so constructed that at nine oclockthecl'apper 19 willfirst move intoengagement with ythe drivenshaft 2O so -as toactuate the latter, thereby imparting movement tothe shaft 23 and permitting the indicator 28 to gravitate. During this phase of movement 'the spring 24 is'tensioned so that the contractile action of the spring will'immediately return the shaft 23 in time to bring the next stop 34 into contact with the lower'face ofthe ring 31, thereby positioning theindicator 29at the numeral 9*'on thes'eries fof compart- 1400 ments 14. This same operationisjcontinued throughout the day. When the days work has been finishedthe clock may be stopped and then reset the next morning. I n this p way, the busy executive will be at all times apprise-d of matters'requiring his attention, especially in view of the `'fact that the clap-` per 19 after having actuated the shaft 2O will contact with the bell 18 so as to givean audible signal. Y

As above stated, this device is adapted for use in various capacities, `but isy especially designed for use by persons performing executive work whose attention is being conf stantly diverted by interviewsandthe like 11`5 whichhas a tendency to Idecrease `the eiiiciency Vof the workof the lexecutive by occasionally forgetting appointments or neglectingv to transact other busines`s.` 'Of course,iit islto be understood that 'this device 120 maybe changedto be adaptable for usefunder different circumstances than 'those described herein.

What is claimed is: c

AV device as lspecified including vsuperposed compartments representative of the different hours ofthe Vday and adapted 'to receive notes or memorandums of business to be transacted at said 'dilferenthours va clock mounted upon said compartmentsand equipped with a clapper and a bell, indicating means operated by movement of said clapper to successively pass from one compartment to the other during the different hours of the day to designate business to be transacted at the particular hour referred to by the indicator, said clapper likewise contacting with said bell, after having imparted movement to the indicator, to audibly call attention to the v indicator,

In testimon .whereof I aiix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

JOSEPH A. HOWELL. c

position of the 10 Witnesses: l

J. H. HosTE'r'rnR, D; C. BORDER. 

